The YouGov poll of over 1,200 parents, commissioned by family support charity Home-Start UK, found that 40 per cent of parents with children under five-years-old have found themselves unable to cope.
More than 60 per cent of parents who took part in the survey acknowledged that stress can damage their relationship with children.
The findings also revealed that the majority of parents (93 per cent) were aware of the impact stress can have on their child’s future mental health and physical well-being.
The survey marks the launch of Home-Start UK’s new campaign ‘Childhood Starts Now’, which aims to highlight the detrimental impact stress and family crisis can have on the lives of young children.
Vivien Waterfield, director for fundraising, of Home-Start UK said, ‘We believe that there are an unacceptable number of families at breaking point and, without the funding we need, we are forced to turn away potential volunteers because we simply do not have the money to train them. And the inevitable consequence is that struggling families and vulnerable children are left without much needed support.’
